Can body making machine



Nuv. 8,1938. A. JOHNSON ET AL CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE H mm 1 Am 1 fr. 6 KHW m 0M S .MN V... w i M e OHM 6 TH O h NOA. T S W 2. T w NLMK A I500 x i 4W6 0 W i Filed May 4, 1936 Nov- 8, 9 A. JOHNSON ET AL CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Filed May 4, 19156 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlE E p m g F? IM Wm H 2% w m? m 0. T V142 A m/m HM A nvm W Nov; s, 1938. A. JOHNSON ET A 2,135,579

CAN BODY'MAKING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1936 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 OOO LL-U

I ll? Nov. 8, 1938.

- B5 20/ 0/ Z03 2J5 W/ W/ 2 A. JOHNSON ET AL 2,135,579

CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE File d May 4, 1936 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I I I I kl I -q I I I I I I m ,4- H N I I {Q I I I I IIII I m {I II T| N\ I Q I I I 1 II I I I H Q \Q I III II I I R I "I m Q I & I 1. r

INVENTORS ATTORNEY N v- & 1938. A. JOHNSON ET AL 2,135 579 CAN BODY MAKIVNG MACHINE Filed May 1956 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 29/ I 26515729; k a I 7 J o 755 Z /65 w O O I I 705 5 /75 /67 0 0 F94 96 /6/ g 6/ 0 Q J03 Z9 5 I59 Jw-a 0 g 7 Q G 0 Jam if} I v /7/ MN 47 K 1 45 106 h; MW

ATTORNEY A. JOHNSON ET AL 2,135,579

CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1936 10 Sheegs-Sheet e lay 55 w w. w

Nov. 8, x

1938- A. JOHNSON ET AL 2,135,579

CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1936 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 7 Q/ I v I l/ I/ I Ill/l III INVENTORS AXE! .70H/V50/V, 31-25452? By m/o/mlmq LAJw/wmu/n'ume; BY 6502;: m {ORA/301V ATTORNEY Nq'v. 8, 1938; A. JOHNSON ET Al.

CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1936 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 (m mHrmn INVENTORS AXEL JaH/vswv, 05401550; arm/Mariam lAJOf/A/J'OM aria/me: are? LIOIIA/J'OA/ ATTORNEY CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1956 I 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 ATTo'RNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1938 CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Axel Johnson, deceased, late of Oakland, Calif., by

George Walter John executors, Oakland,

son and Lloyd A. Johnson, Calif., and George Walter Johnson, Oakland, Calif. Application May4, 1936, Serial No. 71,744

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to can body manufacturing machinery, and more particularly to the roll type machine in which cylindrical can bodies are formed upon a cylindrical horn.

Attempts to speed up production by machines of this type have led to the development of body forming machines capable of producing in the neighborhood of three hundred cans a minute from asingle horn by feeding preformed blanks thereto, and other expedients; at such speeds, however, that jamming of the machine may occur from many causes and is much more serious than in a machine operating more slowly.

The machine of the present invention, by providing a plurality of horns upon which the several forming operations are performed, makes possible a lower machine speed with a corresponding freedom from liability to jam, and also makes possible the economical use of ordinary sheet material which is formed into can blanks prior to being fed to the horn mechanism. Furthermore, the output of the two forming horns may be passed over a single soldering bath which need be but little wider than the bath required for a soldering roll serving a single line of cans,

and need not be as long due speed of operation of the machine.

to the decreased Thus the cost of heating the solder bath and the solder losses through oxidation, are substantially less than they would befor two machines of equal output capacity.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a machine in which blanks prepared by the machine may be separately passed through concurrently operating forming devices in parallel lines to a single soldering bath for the final operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved means for preforming a plurality of can blanks from a single sheet of material.

ing the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof having a portion of the base structure cutaway to show the driving mechanism.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

illustrating the power transmission devices and magazine feeding arrangement.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 1, centrally of the machine.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on 5 line 55 of Figure 1, illustrating the interior of one of the transmission housings of the machine.

Figure 5A is a detailed sectional view of the forming rolls of the machine.

Figure 6 is a lateral sectional view on line 6-ii of Figure 1 through the forming rolls and a portion of the horn section of the machine.

Figures 6A, B, and C are detailed sectional views of a portion of the feeding mechanism of the machine.

Figure '7 is a detailed sectional view of the feed bar operating mechanism taken on the line l-'! of Figure 1.

Figure 7A is a detailed sectional view of a spring feed pawl.

Figure 7B is a detailed sectional view of a spring finger feed stop.

Figure Bis a detailed sectional view of the hook forming mechanism taken on the line 8-8- of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detailed sectional view of the bumping mechanism taken on the line 99 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a sectional View illustrating the inverter mechanism and taken on the line lfllfi of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a detailed view, partially in section, showing details of the bumping mechanism.

Figure 11A is a detailed sectional view through an expanding section of the horn.

Figures 12, 12A, and 12B are detailed views of a portion of the power transmission mechanism.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the several steps in the formation of can bodies from sheet material.

Figure 14 is a detailed View, partly in section, of the corner clipping mechanism.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more specifically to Figures 1, 3, and 5 thereof, the various mechanisms hereinafter described are supported upon a base 2 l, upon which are mounted at opposite sides transmission housings 23. Power is supplied to the various mechanisms of the machine by a motor enclosed within the base 21 and connected by means of belting 21 with a clutch 29 which may be controlled by means of handle 3| to connectthe motor to shaft 33 journaled in brackets 35 depending from the frame 21. An inverted tooth chain 31 (Figures 5 and 6) connects a gear 39 fixed on shaft 33 with a gear 4I fixed on shaft 43 (see also Figure 4) extending longitudinally of the machine centrally of base member 2 I, and provided with a plurality of bearings intermediate its length. Also extending longitudinally of the machine, within the transmission housings 23, are control shafts 45 and. 41, each of which is journaled in one of the transmission housings 23 and both of which are driven from the central shaft 43. Control shaft 45 is connected therewith, as shown in Figure 3, by intermeshing idler gears 49 and SI, mounted on plate 53 pivotally adjustable about shaft 43 and adapted to be retained in adjusted position by means of bolt 55 engaging bracket 35'through a slot 51 in said plate 53. Gear 49 meshes with a gear 59 fixed on shaft 45, and gear 5| .meshes with a gear 52 on shaft 43, so that as shaft 43 is driven in a clockwise direction, gear 59'and'shaft 45 will be driven in a counter-clockwise direction. Shaft 47 is connected with shaft 43 by means of an idler gear BI mounted on a plate 63 pivotally adjustable about shaft 43 and adapted to be retained in adjusted position by means of a bolt 35 engaging bracket 35 through a slot 51 in the said plate 63. Gear 6| meshes with gear 52 fixed on shaft 43 and with a gear 69 fixed on shaft 47 so that as shaft 43 rotates in a clockwise direction, gear 69 will also rotate in a clockwise direction.

Material feed Means are provided for successively removing from a magazine, sheets of material of sufficient size to form two finished cans, and to feed these sheets in a successive step-by-step movement to a plurality of stations in each of which certain steps of the can-forming operations are performed.

The successive steps of advance of this sheet material in the formation of the finished cans are illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 13, where in station I the sheet material is stacked in the magazine; in station II a single sheet has been fed from the bottom of the stack; in station III the corners have been clipped; in station IV the requisite piercing operation has been performed; in station V the sheet has been separated into two can blanks; in station VI these blanks have been separated and are being fed laterally into station VII where they are rolled into cylindrical form; in station VIII oppositely disposed hooks have been formed on the edges of the blanks; in station IX these hooks have been interengaged and locked to form a seam; in station X the can has been inverted to place it in proper position for the soldering operation; and, in station XI, solder is being applied to the seam by means of the indicated soldering rolls.

As best shown in Figure 3, the magazine 8| is supported at opposite ends upon transmission housings 23 and is provided with beveled siderails 83 cooperating with a rounded center support 85 to hold a stack of metal sheets. Reciprocable vacuum cups 81 are provided, and are adapted to adhere to and deform the lowermost sheet in the magazine so that its leading edge will be carried below gate members 89 projecting downwardly from the front of'magazine SI, and to bring the trailing edge of the sheet into the path'of the lateral feeding means hereinafter described.

Vacuum cups 8? are mounted at opposite ends of a yoke 9i fixed to a vertically reciprocable slide 93 movable inchanneled guides 95 on central supporting member 91 by means of pitman 99 connecting a pin on said slide with an eccentric IOI fixed to shaft 43 (see also Figure 4). Vacuum cups 8'! are periodically evacuated by means of a pump I03 (Figure 4) driven by a crank connection with shaft 43 and connected to the vacuum cups 8! by means of flexible tubing I05. The relative timing is such that the cups are evacuated just prior to the beginning of and during their down ward movement.

*By this operation the lowermost sheet in the magazine is brought into the path of the horizontal feeding'mechanism which comprises (as shown in Figure 7A) a series of properly spaced pawls I'I pivotally mounted in bars I09 and pressed upwardly by means of springs III, each pawl being shouldered as at H2 so that the forward end thereof underlies a complementary shoulder I I4 on the rear edge of the next forward bar I09. Pusher pawls of this type are used for advancing the sheet material between the several stations above described, and will be hereinafter referred to in connection with the detailed description of the said stations. 1

The pusher pawls I01 used for feeding sheet material from the magazine are, as shown in Figures 7 and 7A, mounted on horizontally reciprocable bars II to which bars I09 are fixed, and of which, as shown in Figure 3, four are provided across the width of the machine.

The pair of bars H5 at each side of the center line of the machine, is connected together by a cross-bar II'I (Figure 7) and each pair may thus '45 upon which the cam II9-is fixed. A similar cam and lever assembly operated by shaft 41 is used to effect identical reciprocation of the two bars II5 on the opposite side of the center line of the machine.

In feeding the sheet material it is also desirable to insure that retrograde movement of the material in the direction of feed will not take place, and for this purpose a second set of pawls I0'Ia (Figure 7) similar in construction to pawls I0'I above described, is used, but these pawls are not reciprocable, the bars I09a in which they are pivoted being fixed in a frame member of the machine. These pawls are therefore depressed as ment of the sheet material, being itself secured against displacement by any suitable means. Mounted upon the bars of the grill I3'I which extend longitudinally of the machine, are spring stops which, as shown in Figure 73, each com prise a pivoted finger I39 extending slightly below the lower surface of the bars of grill I31, and normally maintained in vertical position by means of spring I4I seated in block I43 and com-- pressed between a set screw I45 in said block, and a plunger I41, the opposite end of which presses against the upper end of the finger I39.

A second set screw I49 is provided for the purpose of permitting adjustment of the finger I39. Spring fingers I39 are so located that the sheet material will be brought against a pair of them at the end of each of the successive feeding steps hereinbefore mentioned, and they thus serve to prevent an overthrowing of the material by momentum and press it back against stops-11a. However, when the pusher pawls I61 again engage the sheet material for the purpose of carrying it forward another step, fingers i39yield, compressing springs MI and permitting the material to pass freely under the positive drive of fingers I01.

By this means the sheet material is fed by successive steps from station I (Figure 13) to station VI, the corner clipping, piercing, andshearing operations being performed at the several stations as will be hereinafter described in detail. At station VI the sheared sections of the sheet are moved laterally in opposite directions into the rolling mechanism by mechanism illustrated in Figures 6, 6A and 63.

Referring particularly to Figure 63, as the two sections of the sheet pass from station .V where the shearing has been effected to station VI, they are separated a short distance vertically by causing one of the sections to pass up a low ramp I5I. This vertical separation is just suificient to permit one of the sheets X (Figure 6A) to pass into the notch I 53 of a feed finger I 55, while the other sheet Y passes under the offset upper end of said pawl I55, and into the path of movement of a second feed finger I51. These feed fingers I55 and I51 are then moved in opposite directions, separating the sheared sections of the original sheet and moving them laterally in opposite directions to their respective rolling mechanisms, as indicated in Figure 6B.

Feed finger I55 is mounted upon block I59 channeled for tongue and groove engagement as at I 6| with a frame member to permit lateral sliding of the said block, and is recessed as at IE3 (Figure 6) to receive the upper end of a lever I65 pivoted to the frame at I61 and provided at its lower end with a roller I69 cooperating with cam I1I fixed on shaft 43 so that upon rotation of the said shaft the feed finger I55 will be reciprocated to feed the sheet in engagement therewith laterally of the machine. Feed finger I51 is similarly mountedon a similar block I13, the recessed under side of which is engaged by a lever I15 also pivoted to the frame at I61 and provided at its lower end with a roller I11 cooperating with a similar cam I19 fixed on shaft 43 so that upon rotation of the said shaft the feed finger I51 will be reciprocated in the opposite direction to feed its sheet laterally of the machine. Spring ISI, tensioned between astud on lever I65 and a stud on lever I15, tends to maintain the feed fingers I55 and I51 in the position in which they are shown in Figure 6A.

By means of these feed fingers I55 and I51 the two blanks are fed laterally, passing through rolls 26I and 263 and past the bending member 29I by which it is bent into the open-edged cylindrical form around the horn 28I, indicated at station VII in Figure 13. The construction and operation of the roll mechanism and horn will be hereinafter described in detail, the present description being concerned specifically with the blank feeding devices.

From station VII the blank is fed by successive steps to station X, indicated in Figure 13, by

mechanism illustrated in Figures 6, '1, 7A, 8, 9,

vious description of the structure shown in Figure 7A.

Reciprocation of the feed bars I85 and I81, forv the purpose of feeding the partially formed can along the horn is effected, as shown in Figure 7, by means of the strap member I21 which is curved to extend partially around the horn and connected with the feed bars I85 and I81 by pin I25, pin I25, and screw I89, respectively. By this means, bars I85 and I81 are reciprocated longitudinally of the machine in synchronism with the reciprocation of feed bars I09 previously described in connection with the earlier description of the mechanism shown in Figure 7.-

When the material has reached station X (Figure 13), all forming operations thereon have been completed, as will appear from the following description, and the formed can body is removed from the horn by mechanism which will be hereinafter described in detail.

Corner clipping mechanism As the blanks are fed from the magazine to the several successive stations hereinbefore described, they are successively brought into cooperative relationship with mechanism for clipping the corners from the sheets, for piercing the sheets to provide ears adjacent the unclipped corners, for shearing the sheet to separate it into two can blanks, for forming each of these two blanks into open-edged cylindrical bodies; for then forming oppositely disposed hooks on the adjacent edges of these bodies, then for interengaging the hooks and bumping the interengaged hooks to form a side seam, closing the cylinder. The mechanism for performing these several operations will now be described in detail.

For clipping the corners of the sheet to the form in which it is shown in station III in Figure 13, mechanism is provided as shown in Figures 1, 2 5, and 14, comprising four cutter discs 2M adjustably fixed on shaft 203 by means of nut 205 (Figure 5) by means of which the discs 2M may be held in operating position against flange 201 integral with the shaft 203 and with its operating lever arm 209 (Figure 14). As shown in Figure 1, contiguous arms 209 are connected together by a pin 2| I on which is pivoted a push link 2I3 (see also Figure 5), operable, in the case of one of the pairs of cutting discs, by an eccentric 2 I 5 fixed on shaft 45 and embraced by a strap on the lower end of the link 2I3, and in the case of the opposite pair of cutting discs, by a similar eccentric mounted on theopposite longitudinal shaft 41.

Each of the shafts 203 is mounted in a separate journal bracket 2I1 secured to the frame by bolts 2I9 (Figure 14) passing through loosely fitting holes in the bracket and the frame member so that minor adjustments of the cutting discs 2M may be effected by loosening the bolts and adjusting the journal brackets with respect to the frame member.

By this means all of the cutting discs ZIJI are periodically given an oscillating movement sufficient to bring their cutting edges 22I (Figure 14) into slots provided in the die block 223 secured to the frame adjacent thereto and to remove the corners from blanks fed successively into cooperative relationship therewith, as shown at station III (Figure 13). From the corner-clipping station, designated station III in Figure 13, the sheets are successively advanced to station IV where two short longitudinal slits are pierced in the sheet so that after shearing it will present ears adapted to overlap the opposite clipped corners.

Piercing mechanism The piercing mechanism, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, includes the stationary piercing punches 23! carried by angle brackets fastened to the swingable plate 233 pivotally mounted on shaft 235 and secured to the frame at its opposite end by a bolt and wing nut 23'! which may be unfastened to permit the plate 233 to be swung upwardly around shaft 235 in order to permit access to the various mechanisms. Underlying the punches 23! are piercing dies 239 adjustably bolted to plate 24! which is vertically slidable in ways 243 secured to the machine frame. Adjacent its lower edge the plate 24! is pivotally connected by crank pins 245 with pitmans 241 operated by eccentrics 249 fixed to shaft 43, whereby reciprocatory vertical movement is imparted to the plate 24! carrying'piercing dies 239 upwardly to effect the piercing of the sheet indicated at station IV in Figure 13.

Shearing operation As the sheets are successively advanced to the station designated V in Figure 13, they are sheared into two equal portions, each of which has had all the requisite operations performed upon it to prepare it as a can blank.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the upper shearing blade 25! is adjustably bolted to the swingable plate 233 which also carries the piercing punches 23!, while the lower shearing blade is adjustably bolted to the vertically reciprocable plate 24! which also carries the piercing dies 239, as hereinabove described. As the sheets are successively fed to the shearing station designated V in Figure 13, the vertical reciprocation of plate 24! by eccentrics 249 operating through pitmans 24'! carries the lower shearing blade 2T3 upwardly, severing the sheet at the shearing station into .two separable portions, each of which has clipped corners at one end and ears formed by the piercing and shearing operations at the opposite end. These separate can blanks are then advanced to the next station, VI in Figure 13, where they are separated laterally by the operation of feed fingers I55 and I51 as hereinabove described, and fed to separate sets of forming rolls disposed on opposite sides of the machine.

Forming operation The forming mechanism into which the can blanks are fed by feed fingers I55 and I51, are duplicated at each side of the machine, and hence a description of one of them, with reference to Figures 1, 2, 5, A, and 6, will serve for both. The movement of the feed fingers I55 and I5! causes the leading edge of each blank to enter between upper and lower forming rollers 26! and 263, respectively (Figure 5A), journaled in bearings 265, and connected together for simultaneous rotation by gears 26!, so that both may be driven by motor 269 through chain 21! (Figure 1) extending between motor 299 and a pulley 213 on a shaft extending from the upper roller 26!. Brackets 275 retain these rollers against displacement from operating position in one direction while they are urged into intimate frictional contact with the fed can blank by the spring-pressed cradle member-211 underlying the journal bearings 265 of the lower roller 263.

This cradle member 21! is slidably seated in a socket formed in the horn member 28! (Figure 6) which at this station is provided with central recesses underlying the cradle member and adapted to receive springs 283 compressedbetween said cradle member and set screws 28 5 which may be adjusted to determine the degree of compression between rollers 26! and 263.

At this station the horn member 28! is also recessed to receive the feed bars I85 and I8! the function of which is to feed the formed can blanks parallel to the longitudinal axis of the horn, as heretofore described. The horn is protected by four hardened plates 28? which serve as retainers for the feed bars, and serve to protect the horn member 29! against wear.

As the blank passes through between rollers 26! and 233, moving transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the horn, its upper surface comes into contact with the edge of a .bending member 29! (Figure 6) the edge of which is located slightly below the point of tangency between rollers 26! and 263 so that the blank is bent downwardly into the form of an open-edged cylinder embracing the horn member 28! and lying between the plate 291 and cover members 293..

As each blank is fed into this position the feed bars I85 and I8! are being retracted in preparation for feeding the blank parallel to'the longitudinal axis of the horn 28!, to the next station. In order, therefore, to eliminate the possibility of the can blank being forced into contact with the side of one ofthe feed fingers I91 during the aforesaid feeding movement of the blank transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the horn, whereby themachine might be jammed, means are provided for retracting the cover plates 293 during this feeding operation and for causing them to move back toward the horn at the conclusion thereof so that the blank after its formation into cylindrical form may be retained in position to be fedparallel to the longitudinal axis of the horn by the feed fingers carried by bars I85 and I81.

For this purpose the cover plates 293 are mounted on levers 295 which are made in two sections bolted together at '29! to permit the covers to be manually swung away for access to the horn member, and a third cover plate 294 it is mounted on the upper end of lever 299 pivoted at 299. Levers 295 are also pivotally mounted on the frame at 299 and are provided at their lower ends with rollers 39! pressed by springs 393 against cams 395 fixed on shaft 45, lever 296 being operated by cam 396 thereon.

By this arrangement springs 393 serve to move cover plates 293 and 294 away from the horn as soon as the highs of cams 395 and 396 pass from under the lever rollers. Immediately thereafter the can blank is fed through rollers 26! and 263 into cylindrical form around the horn 28!, and at the conclusion of this operation the cams rock levers 295 and 296 to bring cover plates 293 and 294' back into the position in which they are shown adjacent the horn and leaving only sufficient space between them and the surface of the horn to permit free passage of the can blank during its feeding operation by feed bars I85 and I81.

Hook-forming mechanism Upon completion of the first forming operation station, designated station VIII in Figure 13,

where mechanism is provided for forming oppositely disposed hooks on the free edges of the blank. I

At this station, as shown in Figure 8, the top portion of the horn member 281 is cut away, allowing the upper edges of the hardened members 281 to project for a purpose which will appear more fully hereinafter, and there is provided adjacent the under side of the horn member 28I a spring-pressed rail 31 l guided between brackets 312 fixed to the frame and pressed by spring 313 against the horn so as to frictionally retain, in operating position, the blank fed to that position for the hook-forming operation.

Cooperating with this holding means are pressure plates 3|5, mounted on the upper ends of levers 311 which are formed in two parts secured together by bolts 319 which may be loosened to permit the upper ends of the levers to be pivoted away from the horn to permit access thereto. Levers 311 are pivotally mounted on the frame at 32I and are provided at their lower ends with rollers 323, cooperating with a cam mounted on shaft 45 and proportioned to bring the pressure plates 3 I 5 firmly against a can blank surrounding the horn in the hook-forming station during the hook-forming operation.

The hook-forming mechanism comprises a hook-forming tool 321 fixed on shaft 329 journaled on the machine frame and provided at its opposite end with a lever arm 33l pivotally connected at 333 to operating link 335, the angular lower end of which is adjustably connected by means of nuts 331 with operating bar 339, the lower end of which is pivotally connected at 341 with straps 343 embracing an eccentric 345 fixed on shaft 45 By this arrangement, upon rotation of the shaft 45 the hook-forming tool 321 is given a clockwise movement, bending the projec'ting edge of the can blank downwardly around the projecting edge of the hardened elements 281 to the form shown in Figure 8.

The opposite hook is formed by ahook-forming tool 341 fixed on shaft 349 journaled in the machine frame and provided at its opposite end with a lever 35I pivotally connected at 353 with a link 355, the angular lower end of which is adjustably connected by means of nuts 351 with operating rod 359. The lower end of this rod is fixed by nut 36l threaded thereon to the straps 343 embracing the eccentric 345 mounted on shaft 45. By this arrangement, upon rotation of the shaft 45 the hook-forming tool 341 is given a counterclockwise movement, bending the projecting edge of the can blank upwardly about the edge of the right-hand pressure plate 315 to the form shown in Figure 8.

At the completion of this operation, the cam cooperating with pressure plate rollers 323 permits springs 363, compressed between a socket nut mounted on the frame and the lower portions of levers 311 to move the pressure plates 315 away from the horn and permit the feeding bars 185 and 181 to move the can blank to the next station.

Hook-joining and bumping mechanism The mechanism of the hook-joining and bumping stations, designated station IX on Figthan at the precedingstations, so that the hooked edges or the can blank may be interengaged as hereinafter explained, but it is expansible to permit interengagement of the hooks after the edges of the blank have been overlapped. For this purpose the horn at this station is made in three sections, as shown in detail in Figure 11A.

The central section 282 is recessed to receive fulcrum rods 365 rockably supporting the outer sections of the horn 361 which are provided with complementary recesses adjacent the rod 365.

The outer sections 361 are normally held as closely against the inner section 28| as the adjustable set-screws 369 will permit, by springs 31l compressed between seats formed in the sections 361 and the heads of bolts 313 carried by the inner section 282 and projecting into recesses formed in the outer sections 361. Expansion of this horn section is effected by depressing wedge bolts 315, the upper ends of which are accessible through apertures 311 at the upper side of horn member 282 and the lower ends of which are provided with cam faces cooperating with complementary cam faces on laterally movable bolts 319 slidable in a transverse aperture in the inner section 282 to press outwardly against set-screws 369 carried by the outer sections 361 and move such outer sections springs 31!.

As shown in Figure 9, hook-engaging plates 38! outwardly compressing and 383 are provided at this station to effect interengagement of the previously formed hooked edges of the can blank. Plate 361 is mounted at the upper end of a lever .385 which is made in two sections secured together by bolt 381 which may be loosened to permit the plate 381 to be pivoted back away from the horn to permit access thereto. The lever 385 is pivoted to the frame at 389 and provided at its lower end with a roller 39| pressed by spring 393, compressed between a socket nut on the frame and the lower portion of the lever 385, against a cam fixed on shaft 45.

Plate 383 is similarly mounted on the upper end of an identically formed lever 395 pivot-ed on the frame at 391 and provided at its lower end with a roller cooperating with a second cam mounted on shaft 45 against which the said roller is pressed by a similar spring arrangement.

The timing of the cams operating levers 365 and 395 is such that lever 385 is rocked to bring the plate 38! against the horn before rocking of thelever 395 takes place, thus insuring that the upturned hook will first be placed against the horn and that the downturned hook moved by plate 383 will thereafter be overlapped, thus insuring proper interengagement of the two hooked edges of the blank.

Upon interengagement of the hooked sections as above described, the plates 38! and 383 are moved away from the horn and bumping mechanism is then brought into action to expand the horn sections and hammer the interengaged hooks to form a compact seam, forming the blank into a closed cylinder.

This bumping mechanism, as shown in Figure 9, comprises a bumping link 461, guided adjacent its upper end by a link 463 pivotally connected to the link and to the machine frame, and supported at its lower end by an eccentric 405 fixed on shaft 45. Carried on the upper end of the bumping link 4! is a hardened bumping member 401 disposed directly over the interengaged hooked edges of the blank and (see also Figures 11 and 11A) a pair of adjustably mounted horn expanders 40'9 disposed above the horn section beyond the ends of the can blank and directly above the apertures 311 through whichthey are adapted to enter the action.

In order to sustain the horn during this bumping action and localize the stresses incident thereto, a supporting member 4l5 (Figure 9) is mounted on an eccentric fixed to shaft 45 and preferably integral with the eccentric 405 operating the bumper link 45!. The upper end of member 415 projects through the housing 23 and, by means of its operating eccentric, isbrought into contact with the can blank at the under side of the horn, substantially simultaneously with the descent of the bumping member 40! thereupon. By this means all stresses incident to the bumping operation are directly localized within the double eccentric 405 mounted on 'shaft 45 which member may be made sufliciently heavy to sustain such stresses without aifecting in any way the design of adjacent elements of the machine.

Feed bars I85 terminate short of the bumping station, but the feed bar !8! extends through this station and functions at the conclusion of the bumping operation to feed the cylindrical can body off the recontracted horn section into the conveying mechanism hereinafter described.

Inverter and conveyor From the bumping stations at each side of the machine, the cylindrical can bodies are passed into an inverting mechanism provided for the purpose of placingthe seams in proper position on the under side of the cylinder for operation of the soldering rolls, and in order to bring the can bodies from the two forming lines onto congveyor lines disposed sufliciently closely together.

to facilitate the application of solder to the seams of both lines from a single soldering bath.

The inverter and conveyor mechanism, as disclosed in Figures 1, 2, 10, 12, 12A, and 12131, comprises a pair of spiders 425 (Figure 10), each of which is provided with a plurality of pockets 421 sized to receive the can bodies and provided with a series of projections 429 adapted to frictionally engage the can bodies sufliciently closely to prevent their rotation in the pockets.

' The spiders 425 are driven from shaft 43 by means of an intermittent power transmission arrangement designed to move each of the spiders through one-sixth of a rotation during one-half of each rotation" of shaft 43 and to maintain the spiders stationary during the remainder 'of each rotation of shaft 43.

This is accomplished by means of the gearing disclosed in detail in Figures 12, 12A, and 12B, comprising a driving gear 43! fixed on shaft 43 and cooperating with a driven gear 433 fixed on the cross shaft 435 journaled in the machine frame. Driving gear 43! is provided with teeth of the conventional form over about half of its periphery, but over the remaining half there eX- tends a single tooth 43'Iadapted to pass through a'gap 439 between the conventional teeth of the driven gear 433, so that the driven gear 433 is locked in a definite cyclic position during half of the cycle, after which it is picked up gradually, the rate of acceleration depending uponportion of tooth 431-;and the conventional tooth of which'it is: anzextension. Thereafter the driving and driven. gears function in the ordinary manner until the interruption 439 of the teeth of the driven gear 433 again meets the straight extended tooth" 43'! of the driving gear 43!. Spiders 425 are driven from shaft 435 by means of beveled gears 44! in the manner abovedescri-bed. The cylindrically formed can bodies are deposited bythe feed bars l8! from the bumping station into spiderpockets located at the positions designated A andare conveyed'thence by successive movements of the spiders to the positions designated B where they are removed by chain conveyor mechanism operated bya second set of intermittent gearing identical with that described in connection with the operationof the spiders 425, but timed to drive the chain conveyor mechanism during the portion of the cycle of shaft 43 during which the spiders are stationary, and to maintain the chain conveyor mechanismrstatic-nary during the portion of the cycle of shaft 43 duringwhich the spiders are moving.

This chain conveyor mechanism, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 10, comprises chains 45! passing over sprockets 453 mounted on shaft 455 journaled in a frame bracket and driven by means of intermittently operated gear 45'! driven from shaft 43 as above described. At the opposite end thereof chains 45f are supported by sprockets 452 mounted on shaft 459 also journaled in the frame brackets, and at intervals along their lengths, they are provided with can pusher members 46! adapted to contact the trailing edges of cans located in the spider pockets at position B and move the said cans out of the spider pockets into passages defined by sets of four rods 465 (Figures land 2),,supported by frame brackets 45 1'or any other suitable means.

As the can bodies reach the end of the intermittently operating chains 45!, they are picked up by pushers 41! carried on continuously moving, separately driven chains 412 passing over sprockets 413 located adjacent the ends of the intermittently operating chains 45!, and are conveyed thereby into contact with the upper surfaces of soldering rolls 48! driven by an extension of shaft 43 through transmission mechanism 483 by which solder is applied to the formed seam of the can body in the usual manner from soldering bath 485. V

By this arrangement a double row of formed and soldered can bodies is delivered by the conveying mechanism beyondthe soldering bath 485.

While a particular embodiment'of the invention has been described herein, it will be understood that the same is susceptible of many modifications, and'it is understood that the invention is not to be taken as limited except as required by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 7

1. A can body forming machine comprising a magazine for material, means for feeding material from said magazine along a given path, a pair of forming horns situated at opposite sides of the path along which material is advanced by said feedingmeans, concurrently operable form ing rolls operatively associated with each of said horns, and means for diverting portions of said material from said path into each'of' said rolls.

pair of forming horns situatedat opposite sides of the path along which material is advanced by said feeding means, concurrently operable forming rolls operatively associated with each of said horns, means for diverting portions of said material from said path into each of said rolls, forming and seaming devices operatively associated with each of said horns, and means for delivering formed can bodies from said horns over a common solder bath.

3. A can body forming machine comprising a magazine for material, means for feeding material from said magazine along a given path, a pair of forming horns situated at opposite sides of the path along which material is advanced by said feeding means, concurrently operable forming rolls operatively associated with each of said horns, means for diverting portions of said material from said path into each of said rolls, forming and seaming devices operatively associated with each of said horns, and means adjacent the discharge end of said horns for inverting formed can bodies and conveying the same over a common solder bath.

4. A can body forming machine comprising a magazine for sheet material, means for feeding sheets successively from said magazine, means for dividing into aplurality of can blanks sheets fed from said magazine, a plurality of concurrently operating horn assemblies including forming and seaming means for forming said blanks into can bodies, means for conveying said blanks from said dividing means into said forming means, and means for discharging the formed can bodies from said horn assemblies over a common solder bath.

5. A can body forming machine comprising a plurality of forming horns, means for receiving sheets of can material adjacent said horns, and sequentially operating devices for first dividing each of said sheets and then feeding a portion of each sheet to a different one of said horns.

6. A can body forming machine comprising a plurality of forming horns, means for receiving sheets of can material adjacent said horns, and sequentially operating devices for first dividing each of said sheets into a plurality of can blanks, and then moving one of said blanks in a direction substantially normal to the plane thereof, and means for engaging the adjacent offset edges of said divisions to feed each to a different one of said horns.

'7. A can body forming machine comprising a plurality of forming horns, means for receiving sheets of can material adjacent said horns, and sequentially operating devices for first dividing each of said sheets and then feeding a portion of each sheet to a different one of said horns, forming and seaming devices operatively associated with each of said horns, and means for discharging formed can bodies from said horns over a plurality of soldering rolls operating in a common solder bath. 7

8. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding sheets of material successively to a series of stations, means at one of said stations for piercing each of said sheets to partially define can blank ears, and subsequently operating means for dividing said sheets into a plurality of blanks, along a line intersecting said piercing at an angle sufficient to complete the definition of said ears.

9. In a machine of the class described, means i for feeding sheets of material successively to a series of stations, means at said stations for clipping the corners from each of said sheets, and for piercing each of said sheets to partially define can blank ears, and subsequently operating means for dividing said sheets into a plurality of blanks, along a line intersecting said piercing at an angle sufficient to complete the definition of said ears.

10. In a machine of the class described, means for receiving and advancing sheets of material, means for dividing said sheets into a plurality of portions, and means for separating said portions comprising means for moving one of said portions in a direction substantially normal to the plane thereof, and means for engaging the adjacent offset edges of the portions to feed each in a dinerent direction.

11. In a machine of the class described, means for receiving and advancing sheets of material, means for dividing said sheets into a plurality of portions, and means for separating said portions comprising means for moving one of said portions perpendicularly with respect to the other, and means for engaging the adjacent offset edges of the portions to feed each in a different direction.

12. In a machine of the class described, means for receiving and advancing sheets of material, means for dividing said sheets into a plurality of portions, and means for separating said portions comprising means for moving one of said portions along an inclined plane to offset the adjacent edges of the portions, and means for engaging said edges to feed each portion in a different di rection.

13. In a can body forming machine, forming devices comprising a cylindrical horn, a plurality of movable guide plates partially enclosing said horn, means comprising rollers for bending a sheet to substantially cylindrical form for effecting insertion of sheet material between said horn and said plates, and means operating concurrently with said first means for moving said plates away from said horn while material is being inserted between said horn and said plates.

14. In a can body forming machine, forming devices comprising a cylindrical horn, a set of material feeding devices carried thereby, a plurality of movable guide plates enclosing said horn adjacent said feeding devices, a second set of devices for inserting sheet material between said horn and said plates and bending the same to substantially cylindrical form, and means operating concurrently with said inserting devices for moving said plates away from said horn during the insertion of material by said second set of devices, and to a position adjacent said horn during the feeding of material by said first mentioned devices.

15. In a can body forming machine comprising a plurality of forming horns, each having forming rolls adjacent its upper side and seaming devices operatively associated therewith; the combination of a single solder bath, means for conveying can bodies from said horns over said bath, and means adjacent the discharge ends of said horns for inverting can bodies and transferring them to said conveying means.

GEORGE WALTER JOHNSON,

LLOYD A. JOHNSON, Ewecutors of the Estate of Axel Johnson.

GEORGE WALTER JOHNSON. 

